Main Islands

Honshu
*Land Forms*
-The largest of the four main Islands of Japan lying between the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan
-It forms a northeast southeast arc extending about 20 miles and varies greatly in width.
-The Honshu is regarded as the Japanese mainland.
*much of its history took place in its southern region
-the pacific coast is the countries main economic century

*Climate*
The climate in Honshu has a wide range from the North with its snowy winter to subtropical south .
-The climate is mainly subtropical
-There are frequent weather changes ex) Northern snowy Southern warm
-water changes according to the elevation of the area.
-Prone to Earthquakes and volcanic eruption.

Hokkaido
*Landforms*
-Japan's second largest island
-located at the north end of Japan near Russia.
-has coastline on the Sea of Japan.
-the center of the island has a number of mountains and volcanic plateaus

*Climate*
-Hokkaido is known for its cool summers and icy winters
-Average August temperature is 17 degrees celsius to 22 degrees celsius
average January temperature is -12 degrees celsius to -4 degrees celsius
-The island tends to see isolated snowstorms that develop long-lasting snowbanks.
-no affected by the June July rainy season
-lack of humidity and typically warm, rather than not summer.
-In winter generally high quality of powder snow.

Shikoku
*Landforms*
-Mountains running east and west divide Shikoku into a narrow northern subregion.
-The larger southern area of Shikoku is mountainous
-Shikoku has 4 important capes
1. Gamóda in Anan
2. Tokushima is the eastenr most point on the Island
3. Sada in Ikata Ewime the restemmost.
4. Muroto in Muroto, Kochi and Ashizumi the southern extreme of Shikoku
-has no volcanoes
- it is divided into a eastern and western parts by a group of mountains.

*Climate*
-Mild climate with frequent typhoons and heavy summer rains.
-The climate is of a humid subtropical type.

Kyushu
-Japans third largest island
- The southern most of the major islands of Japan
-very mountainous and has Japans most active volcano.
-has numerous areas of hot springs
- has 7 prefectures
1. Northern Kyushu
2. Fukoku
3. saga
4. Kumamoto
5.Naga Saki
6.Oita
7.Kagoshim
8.Miyazaki
9.Okinawa.

*Climate*
-Climate is slightly warmer and more tropical than Honshu
-Southern and eastern coasts are regularly battered by typhoons each year.

Ryukyu
-chain of Islands in the western pacific
1. Osumi Island
2.Tokara Isalnd
3.Amami Island
4. Ryukyu Island
5.Okinawa Island
6.Kerama Island
7.Daitó Island
8.Sakishima Island
9. Miyzko Island
10. Yaeyama Island
11.Senkaku Island.
-Stretches South west from the Japanese Island of Kyushu within 120 km of the Island of Taiwan

*Climate*
-Subtropical climate with warm winters and hot summers
-precipitation is very high and is affected by the rainy season and typhoons.

Kurile Islands
*Landforms*
-Form part of the ring of tectonic instability encircling the pacific ocean referred to as the "RIng of Fire"
-The Island themselves are stratovolcanoes that are a direct result of the subjection of the pacific plate under the okhorsk plate, which forms the Kuril trench.
-The chain has around 100 volcanoes 40 of which are active

*Climate*
-long cold stormy winters and short and notoriously foggy summers
-Annual precipitation is 30-40 inches (which falls as snow).


Main Landforms



Place
Information
Mt. Fuji
  • highest mountain in Japan (12,388 ft)
  • one of Japan’s Three Holy Mountains (other two are Mt. Tate and Mt. Haku)
  • inactive volcano, last erupted 1707
  • west of Tokyo
Japanese Alps
  • series of mountain ranges in Japan that bisect the main island of Honshu
  • encompasses three mountains: Hida, Kiso, and Akaishi Mountains
Kitakami River
  • longest river in Tohoku (249 km)
  • one of the cleanest rivers in all of Japan
Tone River
  • in Kanto region
  • 322 kilometers
  • largest drainage area in Japan (6,500 sq mi)
  • one of the three greatest rivers of Japan (other two are Yoshino and Chikugo)
  • source of river is Mt. Ominakami
  • once known for its uncontrollable nature, and route changed whenever flood occured
  • 17th century construction changed route as well
  • was important transport until railway system arrived in 19th centtury
Kiso River
  • roughly 227 km long
  • sometimes referred to as Japan Rhine because of similarities to the Rhine in Europe
Ishikari River
  • 268 km
  • third longest in Japan and longest in Hokkaido
  • drainage area of 14,330 square kilometres, second largest in Japan
  • rises from Mt. Ishikari and flows through Asahikawa and Sapporo
Lake Biwa
  • largest freshwater lake in Japan
  • northesat of Kyoto
  • due to proximity to the ancient capital, many references of this like in Japanese literature cncerning historical accounts of battle
  • area of lake about 670 km square, larger than Awaji island
  • world’s oldest twenty lakes, dating to almost 4 million years ago
  • July 1 Lake Biwa Day <- legislation forbid people from using and selling synthetic detergents that contain phosphorus
Sea of Japan
  • marginal sea of western Pacific Ocean between Asian mainland, Japanese archipelago, and Sakhalin
  • almost no tides because of the surrounding countries (enclosure)
  • controversy concerning name (East Sea) March 2004, UN confirmed Sea of Japan
  • greatest depth 3,742m, surface area, 978,000km2
  • N/SE fishing/mineral deposits/natural gas/petroleum